Civil War Muster will include special concert featuring Kim and Reggie Harris

Courtesy photoKim and Reggie Harris will perform at the Civil War Muster at Cascades Falls Park at 7 p.m. Saturday.

JACKSON, MI – Civil War Muster organizers are always looking for an extra wrinkle to make each event unique.

This year it will be a special concert, as folk and Gospel musicians Kim and Reggie Harris will bring their 30-plus years’ of experience to Jackson for a Saturday evening performance at the Cascades Rotary Bandshell, 1401 S. Brown St.

The duo’s repertoire consists of songs and stories about the Underground Railroad, the modern Civil Rights movements and faith.

“The songs are absolutely on the money in terms of historical events,” said Reggie Harris. “The Underground Railroad was a network of people who helped slaves to find freedom.

“Out of that came a lot of stories and songs of faith.”

Jim Guerrerio, the Muster’s treasurer and founder, discovered the music of Kim and Reggie when he was doing some volunteer work for Ella Sharp Museum in area schools.

“Every classroom I’d go to, the music would be such a huge hit, especially ‘The Ballad of the Underground Railroad,’” Guerrerio said. “Teachers and students would start singing along.

“I thought, ‘How great would it be if we could bring this kind of music to the Muster?’”

The Civil War Muster will be the second trip to south-central Michigan in less than a month for Kim and Reggie Harris. They performed at the Black Arts Festival in Battle Creek on Aug. 11.

“We had a great time in Battle Creek at that event, which really celebrated the diversity of the area,” Reggie said. “It was an opportunity to visit Underground Railroad statue there and take some pictures.

“It was a heartwarming day.”

While some see Civil War reenactments as a celebration of one of the United States’ darkest periods, Reggie Harris does not and was honored to be asked to participate. The duo often performs at Civil War-related events around the country.

“Things like this are opportunities to look at what happened and take lessons from it,” he said. “It’s like the saying goes, if you’re not aware of history, you’re destined to repeat it.

“Yes, it was a painful period, but a lot of stories of triumph came from it.”

The free concert will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday. The bandshell does not feature seating, so attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets.

The show is sponsored by the Louis Glick Memorial Trust and MLive Media Group.